After Hours (VAMPIRES PART 1)

Chapter 9

ROSEANNE

"Those thirty years are almost over. And that is why I'm here. And why I need us to work together. As a city, we must unlock that boundary and open the door because what lays behind it is the keeper of all of our fates," Mother says.

She pauses and I know what comes next is the bomb she's been waiting to drop. I tense.

Mother takes a deep breath. "During these trials, there will be a strict peace accord. There will be no war, no fights between our species under pain of death."

There it is.

Mayhem erupts through the club. Nobles are jeering and gasping in shock. The hunters are drawing weapons, confusion ripples through the dance floor, the humans are scrambling to leave. My mother has to be on drugs. This is insane if she thinks any of the hunters will buy this. Hell, I'm not even sure I buy it. Working together for some random door that no one but her knows about? She's lost her mind. But she also needs to get a grip on this situation before my club ends up destroyed because a riot breaks out.

The Chief marches onto the stage. But Mother raises her hands, a gesture of peace, and several of her guards step up to the perimeter of the dance floor. The hunters move fast; stakes drawn, their bodies form a tight circle in front of the vampire guards.

Lisa tenses like she's going to pounce. I grab her on instinct, my fingers pressing in above her elbow.

She glances back at me when I hold her in place.

"What the hell are you doing?" she snaps.

"Don't. This is... dangerous," I say under my breath.

Her features crinkle. "Exactly. I need to go help them."

"You could be hurt."

She tries to shuck me off her but I hold tighter, hard enough to bruise. "What in the actual fuck do you care?"

"Because..." but words fail me. How was I planning on explaining?

"Descriptive, Roseanne. Well done for using your words."

My nostrils flare. "If someone is going to kill you, it will be me. And until then, I don't want you injured."

She shakes her head at me, I'm not sure if she's furious or suppressing a laugh. "You're the most fucked up vampire I've ever met."

This time Lisa spins into me and holds her stake right over my scar. "Now get the fuck off me, before I give you a scar that's even more permanent."

I lean into Lisa. Her pupils are blown. "So feisty, and yet your body is your traitor."

"Just the remnants of a dream I had last night," she growls.

"You're dreaming about me?"

"Only in my nightmares."

"So cute. Terrible liar, though," I whisper.

Jennie's voice bellows over the crowd, "Peace. I demand peace or I will compel you into obedience."

That makes the room acquiesce into silence. Lisa releases me but stands by my side as Jennie continues to talk.

"Guards, stand down. I do not want the hunters hurt. Hunters, I kindly request you allow me to finish explaining my plan before you decide on whether to slaughter my guards."

The Chief's jaw flexes. But she gives a curt nod and the hunters back down. "Get to the point, Jennie." She's practically snarling stood next to her. The mic she's near amplifies the rage tenfold. Two vampire guards appear at the back of the stage.